Mohali: India captain Rohit Sharma on Sunday revealed that the inclusion of senior pacer Umesh Yadav in the T20I squad for the series against Australia will give his team a good option. Yadav was earlier included in the team after Mohammed Shami was found to be Corona positive, leaving Shami out of the series starting Tuesday.

Umesh Yadav recently returned from his county stint with Middlesex due to an injury

Umesh Yadav last played a T20I for India in February 2019, and returned to the shortest format of the game after almost two and a half years on the basis of his good IPL performance for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2022. In IPL 2022, Umesh took 16 wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders at an average of 21.18 and an economy rate of 7.06. In Middlesex’s Royal London ODI Cup campaign, he took 16 wickets at an average of 20.25 and an economy rate of 5.17. Notably, Yadav recently returned from his county stint with Middlesex due to an injury.

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“He (Umesh) bowled really well, he gives us a good bowling option. He swings the ball as well as bowls fast. It was a really simple idea. It was not a matter of much discussion for us. Keeping in mind the (T20) World Cup is around the corner, we have tried a lot of players. We have seen what each of us can do. We are very clear in our thought process and how we want to proceed.

Players like Umesh and Shami don’t need to play T20 regularly for national selection

Rohit suggested that players like Umesh Yadav and Shami need not play T20s regularly for national selection. “Players like Umesh, Shami, who have been bowling for a long time, don’t need to play in that particular format to be considered. He has proved himself as a player in whatever format he has played. The newcomers on whom this will be a matter of debate.’

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He further said, ‘It will depend on whether they (new players) have played this format or not. But players like Umesh Yadav and Shami, we need to see what they are doing at that particular time. And if they are fit and fine then they will be given a chance. Rohit said that other fast bowling options playing for India in recent times were not immediately available due to various reasons. Which forced him to give Umesh a chance.